"Back to the Future" centers around a plutonium-powered DeLorean that can time travel.

Photo: Universal Pictures

"Back to the Future" centers around a plutonium-powered DeLorean...

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Stephen Wynne. owner of DeLorean Motor Co., in Humble, poses for a portrait Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, in Humble. Along with the vintage cars, made famous in the 1980s movie 'Back to the Future', Wynne and the DMC is working prototype electric DeLorean car.

Photo: Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle

Stephen Wynne. owner of DeLorean Motor Co., in Humble, poses for a...

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Back to the Future: The DeLorean may be the most iconic car on the silver screen. A modified DeLorean DMC-12 was used as a time machine in the Back to the Future trilogy. The car’s wacky design left a lasting impression for consumers.

Photo: EUGENE HOSHIKO

Back to the Future: The DeLorean may be the most iconic car on the...

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The DeLorean Motor Company of Humble, Texas, and Epic Electric Vehicles unveiled the DMC-ev, an electric powered DeLorean prototype. For an estimated $90,000 to $100,000, a DMC-ev could be yours when they hit the U.S. market in 2013.

Photo: Kevin McCauley

The DeLorean Motor Company of Humble, Texas, and Epic Electric...

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21st October 1981: American entrepreneur John De Lorean at Earls Court where he is exhibiting his futuristic sports car at the Motorfair. His company is currently under investigation over financial matters. (Photo by Simon Dack/Keystone/Getty Images)
DELOREAN

Photo: Simon Dack

21st October 1981: American entrepreneur John De Lorean at Earls...

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Members of the DeLorean car club drive down the street with their doors open for spectators who lined Texas avenue during the St. Patrick's Day Parade downtown, Saturday, March 15, 2008.

Photo: Karen Warren, Chronicle

Members of the DeLorean car club drive down the street with their...

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for Fuel Fix

for Fuel Fix

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The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under the hood there were a multitude of sins.

Photo: Mike Vietro

The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under...

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The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under the hood there were a multitude of sins.

Photo: Mike Vietro

The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under...

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A gold plated DeLorean, one of two made by the factory, estmitated to be worth $250,000.

Photo: Courtesy Of Mike Vietro Corvette

A gold plated DeLorean, one of two made by the factory, estmitated...

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The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under the hood there were a multitude of sins.

Photo: Mike Vietro

The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under...

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The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under the hood there were a multitude of sins.

Photo: Mike Vietro

The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under...

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The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under the hood there were a multitude of sins.

Photo: Mike Vietro

The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under...

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The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under the hood there were a multitude of sins.

Photo: Mike Vietro

The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under...

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The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under the hood there were a multitude of sins.

Photo: Mike Vietro

The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under...

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The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under the hood there were a multitude of sins.

Photo: Mike Vietro

The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under...

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The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under the hood there were a multitude of sins.

Photo: Mike Vietro

The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under...

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The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under the hood there were a multitude of sins.

Photo: Mike Vietro

The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under...

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The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under the hood there were a multitude of sins.

Photo: Mike Vietro

The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under...

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The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under the hood there were a multitude of sins.

Photo: Mike Vietro

The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under...

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The DeLorean has an odometer reading of just 309 miles, but under the hood there were a multitude of sins.

The last time a DeLorean travelled through time it was at the hands of Marty McFly in the Back to the Future trilogy.

This time, a car from the now Humble-based motor company has appeared apparently out of nowhere in California, with near factory-perfect mileage.

The 1981, 309 mile DeLorean had been sitting in a collector's garage with plastic seat coverings and paper floor protectors still intact when its owner happened to mention it as a potential trade-in for a Corvette he wanted to buy.

"Of course I told him I had an interest without being too overzealous," wrote "Corvette" Mike Vietro via email. Vietro sells Corvettes in Anaheim, Calif., and was offered the DeLorean as trade for a Triple Crown 1966 Corvette 427 Coupe.

"It was a few weeks before the car showed up, it had 25 years of dust covering it," said Vietro, who knew he wanted the car as soon as he saw it. "There's a huge market for these low mileage cars, it's the novelty."

"The fuel injection is not working, there's problems with the brakes, it wont start, the fuel is contaminated," Vietro said. "The car is in very poor shape."

It's a situation that's not uncommon, according to experts at the DeLorean headquarters in Humble.

"After John DeLorean was arrested, people thought the cars would one day be worth alot of money," said James Espey, vice president at the DeLorean Motor Co., noting that he knows of one that has a mileage as low as 14 miles.

"Alot of people bought them and stored them away," said Espey. "Now the grandkids are bringing them out hoping they're worth something."

Just under 9,000 DeLoreans were made during the company's short 21 month life, starting in 1981 and ending in 1982 when John DeLorean was charged with drug trafficking.

DeLorean was subsequently found not guilty but his beloved car company had already been taken into receivership and no more of the distinctive cars with their Lotus-designed body and Renault engine were ever made.

None of that guarantees value for the low mileage DeLorean owner, according to Espey.

"All they've got is a car that's been completely neglected, it's essentially a $15,000 car that needs $20,000 worth of repairs," Espey said. "At 30 years old, they're not really old enough to be super collectible by the likes of Jay Leno, who wants low mileage cars to sit in his collection."

Espey says he does know of one low mileage DeLorean that is the exception to that rule though. The beleagered company made two gold-plated versions of their now classic car.

One of those has an odometer reading of only 7 miles and a corresponding value of $250,000.

The seemingly-dull-in-comparison stainless steel relative sells for around $45,000 in good condition.

It still manages to tug on some heart strings, though. Once the original collector saw his 309-mile, 1981 baby all dusted off and fixed up, he decided he didn't want to trade it after all, and came up with the cash for his 427 'Vette.

"He immediately welled up and was overwhelmed with feelings that only a mom can imagine as she gives birth." said Vietro. "He came running to find me to tell he could no longer part with (it) ... and made haste to undo the deal that I had waited so patiently to acquire."